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A pregnant woman was the victim of a dog attack in Orange County, Florida. Two dogs were unleashed and running around a neighborhood, when they approached the pregnant lady as she was walking. The woman suffered deep puncture wounds in her leg where the dogs bit her. The two dogs were reported to be a Pit Bull and a Labrador mix. After the attack, she was taken to the Winnie Palmer Hospital for her injuries. She and the baby were reported to be stable after the incident.
In Orange County, Florida, there is a local ordinance that requires dogs to be on leashes when they are off the owner’s property. In addition, Florida recognizes a strict liability policy regarding dog bites and/or attacks. Strict liability means that the dog owner is liable for any damages caused by the dog, regardless of the dog being provoked by the victim. Strict liability means there is really no defense to the dog owner being responsible for the dog’s actions.
In this case, Animal Services took the two dogs and has them quarantined. The owners of the dogs have not come forward. Typically, a victim will be able to seek damages from the dog owner, including medical expenses. Such a claim would normally be handled under the homeowner’s insurance policy. However, some policies exclude dog bite injuries and / or certain breeds of dogs from coverage under the policy.